"Darlene's had a baby boy," Charlotte told Louis whilst they were sitting outside Dale's office waiting for her appointment. "They're calling him Daniel."
"Yeah, I heard," Louis said, shuffling in his seat. "So how do you feel about it all?"
"Oh I'm fine," she said waving her hand dismissively but he thought she sounded on edge.
"Good, that's good," he murmured thinking it was best to drop the subject. He looked around the characterless waiting area, his eyes narrowing as he took in the carefully coordinated decor. "Dale's done well for himself."
"He has an office in a building block and not one of the better ones," she said testily.
"But the company has all of this floor?" Louis asked his eyes fixing on the logo on the doors in front of them as he tried to distract her.
"About half of it, I think." They fell into silence and she idly fiddled with the beads on her bracelet.
"Stop fidgeting, you're making me nervous," he said, tongue in cheek. She never used to fidget.
"Well I can't smoke in here," she said although the ashtray on the table in front of them said otherwise. "And I'm trying to quit anyway."
"Charlotte," Dale called stepping out of the office door in front of them. "Good to see you." He glanced at Louis, smiling genially as if he'd expected him to be there.
"Can Louis come in with me?' Charlotte asked hesitantly as she stood up.
Dale paused, giving her a long look. "He can but we've got a lot to run through. For speed, it would be easier to see you by yourself."
Charlotte looked away, biting her lip. "'Oh, okay then, I guess time is money."
Dale indicated for her to go into the office, and Louis watched her go, a deep frown on his face.
~~~
For the next hour, Louis sat flicking through some lifestyle magazine as he waited for Charlotte, not taking in any of the words he was reading. When she finally came out, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
"Hey are you okay?" he asked tentatively touching her arm. She looked up but before she could speak Dale joined them, a stern look on his face. Louis lowered his hand feeling like he'd committed some faux pas.
"I'm just going to the bathroom to fix my makeup, I'll be back in a minute," Charlotte said lowering her head.
He let her go and turned towards Dale. "What did you say to her?" he demanded, instantly blaming him for Charlotte's state.
"I can't tell you that."
"Well, it seems like you've upset her."
Dale sighed, adjusting his tie and then fixing his collar. "She's going through a divorce. It is upsetting. If you want to know anything, ask her."
Louis bristled at his patronising tone. "Look I'm just trying to support her, someone has to."
Dale nodded in acknowledgement. "So are you back here for good? I heard you left the army."
"Yeah I've been discharged for my sins," he said with a rueful laugh.
"What sins?" Charlotte asked as she reappeared behind them.
"Now that would be telling." He wrapped his arm around her, ignoring Dale's glare. "Let me take you to dinner and I might tell you the story."
"I'm pretty sure you won't," Charlotte said rolling her eyes and sounding like her normal self again.
YOU ARE READING
Shattered Hearts
Romance(On adultfictions reading list) Can you fall in love with the same person twice? "I can't be with you, I just can't," she said turning away. "Why not?" She let out a heavy sigh. "It didn't work before when we had everything going for us, there's no...
